Heavy Traffic Gridlock on Mumbai-Pune Expressway Amid Weekend Rush and Monsoon Tourism
Heavy Traffic Gridlock on Mumbai-Pune Expressway Amid Weekend Rush and Monsoon Tourism
Pune, May 25: Massive traffic congestion brought the Pune-bound side of the Mumbai-Pune Expressway to a halt on Sunday, as thousands of vehicles crowded the highway due to the weekend rush and increased tourist activity in the monsoon-drenched Western Ghats, particularly near Lonavala.
Both directions of the expressway, which serves as a crucial link between Mumbai and Pune, experienced severe bottlenecks, with frustrated commuters reporting hours-long delays. The traffic situation was further worsened by long queues at toll plazas, particularly near Talegaon.
Social media was flooded with complaints from commuters demanding better traffic management and questioning the efficacy of FASTag systems. “Tremendous traffic at Mumbai Pune expressway toll plaza, what about free FASTag???” posted one user, while another wrote, “Traffic jams on Mumbai-Pune expressway and serpentine queues at toll points, in spite of rules and law stating otherwise. There is no end to this suffering.”
Tourist Influx Adds to Congestion
The monsoon season has drawn large crowds to popular destinations like Lonavala and Khandala, adding to the already surging weekend vehicle movement. Authorities said the unexpected surge in traffic volume overwhelmed the existing capacity of the expressway, leading to extended snarls.
Recent Fatal Accident Adds to Concerns
The weekend chaos followed a tragic accident on Saturday near Khopoli, where a Swift car was crushed between a bus and a trailer, killing a 17-year-old girl and a 30-year-old woman. The accident raised fresh concerns over road safety, especially during high-traffic days.
Traffic Management Efforts Under Scrutiny
Despite the implementation of the Intelligent Traffic Management System (ITMS), which has contributed to a reduction in road accidents on the expressway, questions remain about the system’s effectiveness during peak travel periods.
According to Maharashtra Highway Police data (January–April 2025), the Mumbai-Pune Expressway reported 10 fatal accidents with 11 casualties. In contrast, the Mumbai-Nagpur Samruddhi Expressway recorded 47 crashes resulting in 55 fatalities over the same period.
Expressway Under Strain
The Mumbai-Pune Expressway is a key route not only for daily commuters but also for travelers heading to destinations such as Satara, Sangli, Kolhapur, and Mahabaleshwar. Long weekends and holidays consistently strain the highway beyond its designed capacity, with little respite in sight for regular users.
